Screen for headlights and other lamps.



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SCREEN FOR HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED N'ov. 9. |914.

l 9 ML? l 8., Patented June I, 1915.

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@ya wg@ WMI/1eme@ @ww J 'O' Anarran srarns Parana ernten JOHN J'.MARTIN, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SCREEN FOR HADLIGHTS AND O'HR LAMS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une il, i915.

Application led November 9, 1914. Serial No."871,021.

view to screening the reflected light in such manner as to practicallyeliminate the blinding and otherwise obnoxious glare, and this withoutdiminishing the illuminating capacity of the Vlight since the light raysare concentrated within the space where illumination is most needed. Forinstance from a View point directly in front of the screen and in a linewith the axis of the reflector (see Fig. l) the screen will be withouteffect, while the eiiiciency of the screen increases as the view pointis shifted to one side or the other of said line. This is why I refer tothe screen as calculated to operate relatively and not absolutely.

For the attainment ofthe foregoing the invention consists in anarrangement of thin, non-reliecting plates so placed and spaced apart asto permit the lightto freely continue its course, which, in the case oflight from a conventional parabolic mirror, is in the directionindicated by the axis of the curved surface, the said arrangement orscreen operating to conceal the lamp mirror o r reflector from anobserver who is to one side of the plane of the lamp.

A secondary object ofthe invention is to "provide a screen 'of thegeneral character stated in which all surfaces of the thin planes orplates except the undersides of the horizontal planes are suitably madenonreiecting while the said undersides lare invished orrequipped toenable them to reflect any chance or abnormal rays downwardly andforwardly with a View to increasing the illumination of a roa'dwaybefore an automobile. To the attainment of 'said secondary object Ispecifically use bright sheetmetal plates, and paint allsurfaCes dullblack excepting the undersides ofthe horizontal plates which 'areleft inaV bright state.

With the foregoing in mind the' invention will be fully understood fromthe followmg description'and claims when the same are read 1n connectionwith the drawings, accompanyingv vand forming part of thisspecification, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section showing onespeciic-arrangementof a screen embodying my invention, relative to thelight and reflector of a lamp. Fig. 2 is a face view of the same. Fig. 3is a perspective showing a screen embodying my invention constructed insuch manner that it can be readily applied to lamps such as at pres- 4ent in use, and also showing in two interstices the manner in'which allsurfaces of thi-n and bright metallic plates are rendered non-reflectingrexcept the undersides of the horizontal plates, the said undersidesbeing left bright or being finished to reflect light. Similar numeralsof reference designate corresponding parts in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings, which will rst be described.

The lamp may be of the conventional construction or' of any otherconstruction to which my novel screen is applicable. The

construction shown comprises a casing 1, 'a

mirror or reflector 2, and lens 3; and I would here have it understoodthat while I show the screen in front of the lens or glass of the lamp,suchrelative arrangement is not essential to the successful use of thescreen,

and', therefore, the screen may be arranged back of the lens or glass orthe lens or glass may be altogether omitted without departure from thescope of my claimed invention. I would also have it here understood thatmy screen may be made in any form compatible with'its purposewithoutdeparture from the scope of my claimed invention, though .Iprefer the form illustrated-vl e., a .form comprising a groupofrectangular plates or planes 4, intersect- .ing one another andpresenting a crate-like appearancef- The said planes. or plates iare-.made very thin so asnot to interfere appreciably with the forwardpassage of the light rays, and. they are of a length corresponding tothe size and character of the lamp equipped with the screen, theeiliciency of the screen depending to a great extent upon the depth orfore and aft length able glare, I make those surfaces of the plates iwhich are liable to come within the field of vision of "anobserverlocated at the vof the planes or plates 4:. With a view to Y practicallydoing away with the objectioning. Also, when deemed expedient, l providein some suitable way for reflection from the remaining surfaces of theplatesz'. e., the undersides of the horizontal plates or planes, this toreflect incidental or abnormal rays. of light to the roadway in front ofthe lamp. Some side and downward illumination may be provided for bygiving the requisite spread to the sides and bottom of the casing 5 ofthe screen, but this l have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate.

ln Fig. l, the lines Aw-B and .Ai-C Show the lines of vision of anobserver at A. lt will be noted thatboth lines strike non-re# fleetingsurfaces of the screening plates and completely eliminate all glare fromthe eye at the point A. The line M-L is the line of vision of anobserver at M. To the eye of an observer at this point fifty per' cent.of the reflecting surface is eclipsed, but the eliiciency of the screenis considerably greater than fifty per cent. since a given amount ofreflecting surface checkered with small dark areas produces far lessconfusing glare than an equivalent unbroken. rellecting surface.

In F ig. 3 the sides and .upper surfaces of the plates are madenon-reflecting. llhis is shown by the shading in two interstices and isindicated by 6. lt will also be 0bservedthat 'in Fig. 3 the screen inshown as anV unitary article, readily applicable to headlights atpresent in,- general use.

For the sake of clearness of illustration, l have shown the planes orplates l of the screen vmuch thicker than the planes or plates employedin the successful. use of the e device; it being understood that .theplanes or plates are extremely thin, for the purpose stated. It is alsoto be understood that the arrangement of the screen relative to theclaim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

l. The combination with 'a lamp of the class described, of a crate-likescreen arranged transversely infront of the lamp and having spaced -thinand vertical plates and spaced thin and horizontal plates andrectangular interstices, formed by said plates, all extending in thedirection in which light is projected from the lamp and also havingreflecting the lower surfaces of the horizontal plates andnon-refleeting the surfaces ofthe vertical plates and the upper surfacesof the horizontal plates.

2. The combination with a lamp of the class described, of a screenarrangedtransversely in front of the light of the lamp and having aseries of thin spaced planes and a second series of thin spaced planesdisposed at angles t0 the planes of the firstnamed series, andinterstices formed between planes of the two series, all extend'- ing inthe direction in which light is projected from the lamp and alsohavingfnonreflecting those surfaces of the planes which are liable tocome within the ield of vision of an observer at one side of the planeof the screen, and reflecting the under surfaces of one series ofplanes.

3. The combination with a lamp of the class described, of a screenarranged transversely in front of the light of the lamp and having aseries of thin spaced planes and a second series of thin spaced planesdisposed at angles to the planes of the rstnamed series,' andinterstices formed between planes of the two series, all extending inthe direction in which light is projected from the lamp and also havingnonreflecting those surfaces of the planes which are liable to comewithin the field of vision of an observer at one side of the plane ofthe screen.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. MAlTlN. Witnesses:

JOSEPH W. SCHLOEMER, EDWARD J. MONTI.

